diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8357fca..840b71d 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 es
+*.swp
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 01f7cdc..8daa395 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@ func LoadConfig(cfgpath string) *ESConfiguration {
 	if cfgpath != "" {
 		cfgfile, err := ioutil.ReadFile(cfgpath)
 		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Read error: %s\n", err.Error())
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "read error: %s\n", err.Error())
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
 
 		err = toml.Unmarshal(cfgfile, &cfg)
 		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Parse error: %s\n", err.Error())
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "parse error: %s\n", err.Error())
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
 
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ func LoadConfig(cfgpath string) *ESConfiguration {
 		return &cfg
 	}
 
-	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "No valid configuration found in:\n")
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "no valid configuration found in:\n")
 	for _, path := range paths {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "    %s\n", path)
 	}
diff --git a/index.go b/index.go
index 1a06988..d33c2d7 100644
--- a/index.go
+++ b/index.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"strings"
 )
 
@@ -28,13 +29,14 @@ func handleIndexCommand() {
 
 		indexes, err := es.IndexNames()
 		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Elastic error: %s\n", err.Error())
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "elastic error: %s\n", err.Error())
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
 
 		for _, index := range indexes {
 			fmt.Printf("%s\n", index)
 		}
+
 	case "delete":
 		deletecmd := flag.NewFlagSet("index delete", flag.ExitOnError)
 		deletecmd.SetOutput(os.Stdout)
@@ -43,7 +45,7 @@ func handleIndexCommand() {
 		deletecmd.Parse(os.Args[3:])
 
 		if *iname == "" {
-			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Name parameter is required for index delete\n")
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "name parameter is required for index delete\n")
 			deletecmd.PrintDefaults()
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
@@ -53,7 +55,52 @@ func handleIndexCommand() {
 
 		_, err := es.DeleteIndex(*iname).Do(context.Background())
 		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Elastic error: %s\n", err.Error())
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "elastic error: %s\n", err.Error())
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+
+	case "create":
+		createcmd := flag.NewFlagSet("index create", flag.ExitOnError)
+		createcmd.SetOutput(os.Stdout)
+		cfgpath := createcmd.String("config", "", "path to configuration")
+		iname := createcmd.String("name", "", "(required) index name to create")
+		bodystr := createcmd.String("body", "",
+			"json string to use as body options during create")
+		bodyfile := createcmd.String("bodyfile", "",
+			"json file to use as body options during create")
+		createcmd.Parse(os.Args[3:])
+
+		if *iname == "" {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "name parameter is required for index create\n")
+			createcmd.PrintDefaults()
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+
+		if *bodystr != "" && *bodyfile != "" {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr,
+				"body parameter cannot be used with bodyfile parameter\n")
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+
+		body := *bodystr
+		if *bodyfile != "" {
+			raw, err := ioutil.ReadFile(*bodyfile)
+			if err != nil {
+				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "read error: %s\n", err.Error())
+				os.Exit(1)
+			}
+			body = string(raw)
+		}
+
+		cfg := LoadConfig(*cfgpath)
+		es := ClientFromConfig(cfg.Elastic)
+		ics := es.CreateIndex(*iname)
+		if body != "" {
+			ics.Body(body)
+		}
+		_, err := ics.Do(context.Background())
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "elastic error: %s\n", err.Error())
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
 
@@ -73,7 +120,8 @@ func printIndexUsage() {
 	fmt.Printf("Usage: %s index <subcommand> ... \n", os.Args[0])
 	fmt.Printf("See '%s index <subcommand> --help' for information", os.Args[0])
 	fmt.Printf(" on a specific command\n")
-	fmt.Printf("Valid subcommands:\n")
+	fmt.Printf("valid subcommands:\n")
 	fmt.Printf("    list      list indexes\n")
 	fmt.Printf("    delete    delete index\n")
+	fmt.Printf("    create    create index\n")
 }
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 2c7b433..64fca82 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -37,6 +37,6 @@ func printDefaultUsage() {
 	fmt.Printf("Usage: %s <command> ...\n", os.Args[0])
 	fmt.Printf("See '%s <command> --help' for information", os.Args[0])
 	fmt.Printf(" on a specific command\n")
-	fmt.Printf("Valid commands:\n")
-	fmt.Printf("    index    add or delete indexes\n")
+	fmt.Printf("valid commands:\n")
+	fmt.Printf("    index    create, delete, or list indexes\n")
 }